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Gladiator

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Gladiator: The Movie Essay | Gladiator: The Movie
Ridley Scott
This student essay consists of approximately 3 pages of analysis of Gladiator.
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Gladiator: The Movie

Summary:

"What we do in life echoes in eternity." A famous tag line of the movie that Maximus (Russell Crowe) said to his men before they merge in the battlefield. Maximus is a powerful Roman general, loved by the people and the aging Emperor, Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris). A very highly intense action sequence directed by Ridley Scott. A film that won multiple awards including, best costume design, visual, pictures and sound effects. The "Gladiator."

"What we do in life echoes in eternity." A famous tag line of the movie that Maximus (Russell Crowe) said to his men before they merge in the battlefield. Maximus is a powerful Roman general, loved by the people and the aging Emperor, Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris). Before his death, the Emperor chooses Maximus to be his inheritor over his own son Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), and a power struggle leaves
Maximus and his family condemned to death. The powerful general is unable to save his family, and his loss of will allows him to get captured and put into the savage games until he dies. The only desire that fuels him now is the chance to rise to the top so that he will be able to look into the eyes of the man who will feel his revenge. A very highly intense action sequence directed by Ridley Scott. A film that won multiple awards including, best costume design, visual, pictures and sound effects. The "Gladiator."

Ridley Scott is a famous British Director whose film was a big hit at the turn of the twenty-first centuries. He is known for his visual style and rich details. A few of the modern classics he directed were Alien 1979 starring Sigourney Weaver, G.I Jane 1997 starring Demi Moore and Black Hawk Down 2001 with Josh Hartnett. Ridley Scott directed the movie "Gladiator" in the year 2000. I would say that he did an outstanding job directing a complicated movie such as this one. There are many good things on how they filmed the sequence that I have chosen. This movie is so strong simply because of the camera angles, the foreshadowing, the elements present and the subjective treatment used that lets you see what the actor is looking at in the scene. Scott used a number of different techniques while filming the movie such as muting and the wash out colors in the opening battle scenes in Germania.

The setting of the scene I chose (which is the opening battle) had a very depressing, dark

mood. This brought out good effect and it blended well with the surroundings, costumes,

the chanting and it gives viewers the feeling that hell is going to unleash.What makes this a good movie to watch is because of the good sound effects and the timing was ridiculously amazing. Have you heard of bees humming? While the

arrows where being fired the music had some kind of a humming bee sound that blended with the swiftling arrows, that added emphasis, on the arrows being shot.

I found the camera angle of the dog-named Hell jumping in between the fire was

very extraordinary. When we think of "hell" we think of a place filled with fire, and

that's what the dog hell portrayed as when he jumped in between the fire. The quick

panning of the camera made this scene very strong as well. It added excitement, almost

the "lost" feeling and it brought thrill to the audience. The fastness and the slowness of

the camera with the swords was blended together to emphasize the hardness, strength and

the emotion that was put in by the character. Fastness, being the quickness of the swords

man and slowness to show the emotion on how powerful they strike the opposer. The end

of the scene shows the victory of the roman. This was set into slow motion to add an

effect, emotion and drama. The setting changed from gloomy, depressing, sad and dark

mood to a very depressing victorious surrounding with a more symbolic reddish sky that

symbolizes blood spillage or death.

This movie would have never been a success if it was not for the actors such as

Russell Crowe (as Maximus). He won the Oscar award for best actor. Other leading role

Russell Crowe stared in are movies such "Master and Commander" and "A beautiful

mind." Winning the Oscar for best actor explains everything about Russell Crowe's

acting. This movie was also supported by other fellow actors and actresses like Joaquin

Phoenix (Commodus), Connie Nielsen (Lucilla), Oliver Reed (Proximo) and Richard

Harris (Marcus Aurelius).

A modern classic that I enjoyed watching more than once and every time I watch

it I see something different. The actors of the movie turned in credible performances and

being nominated in the Oscar award and some actually winning. A movie that makes you

sit so far back from your seat because of the intense battle scenes. A very engaging plot.

A highly sophisticated state of the art graphic that appeared in some scene. A rating of

three stars and a half is what this movie deserves. A must see movie and when viewed

never give the entire story because a giant injustice will be committed to a film so

compelling. "What we do in life echoes in eternity."

Clipped on 4-October-2012, 2:23 PM from http://www.bookrags.com/essay-2005/3/30/19230/0472/

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...“Gladiator” is a historical epic film directed by Ridley Scott. The film was set during the time period of 180 A.D. The leading actor in the movie is Russell Crowe alongside with Joaquin Phoenix. Crowe portrays a loyal general Maximus Decimus Meriduis, who is betrayed when the Emperor’s ambitious son Commodus murders his father and seizes the throne. Commodus murders his father seeing that he offered Maximus to be the next in line to the throne after his death. Finding out, Commodus murders his father and sentences Maximus and his family to be murdered. Managing to escape his execution, Maximus rushes to his family only to find out that he is too late. As he grieves over there death, he is captured and is sold as a slave for combat. Reduced to slavery, Maximus rises through the ranks of the gladiatorial arena to avenge the murder of his father and his Emperor. The movie “Gladiator” is fairly accurate according to the three areas that are focused on in this essay, weapons and military strategy, clothing and architecture. This paper will explore these aspects that were portrayed in the film pertaining whether or not it was accurate or inaccurate according to its time period. The area of weapons and military strategy was accurate. The film opens up with a horrific fight scene that is about to take place against the Germanic barbarians. Before the battle begins, it is shown that the Romans take their time to set up the weaponry. The Roman army and gladiator’s battle stance and weapons...

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